Ducky One USB hub mod
Overview
The Ducky One is a full-size mechanical keyboard with standard layout and lovely clicky Cherry Blue switches - a reliable daily driver, but with no USB passthrough. This mod adds a flush-mounted USB Type-A port to the rear face of the case, turning the keyboard's single upstream cable into a two-port hub without any visible change to the front or top.
How it was done
The keyboard's internal USB connection was interrupted and a small USB hub PCB inserted in its place. Both the keyboard's original controller and the new rear-facing socket are wired as downstream devices on the hub, so the host still sees a single USB device with the keyboard appearing as a child hub port.
- Hub installation - a compact USB hub PCB was fitted inside the case, splicing into the existing USB cable run
- Keyboard rewire - the keyboard controller's USB connection was moved from the upstream cable to one of the hub's downstream ports
- Socket mounting - a hole was filed into the rear face of the aluminium case to accept a panel-mount USB Type-A socket, which was wired to the second downstream port
Result
The finished mod is entirely invisible from the front - the keyboard looks and feels stock. Plugging into the rear socket charges devices or connects peripherals without needing a separate hub on the desk. Because the hub is inside the keyboard, no external adapters or extra cables are required. Great for Yubikeys or thumb drives.